User:Thomas Jack Morris

Dr. T. Jack Morris is Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. He has served as Director of the School of Biological Sciences from 1990 to 2005. He completed BS and MS degrees at McGill University in Canada and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology at UNL in 1973. During his career at the University of California at Berkeley from 1976-90, he developed a internationally recognized program in molecular plant virology that produced many of the research leaders in the field. His research accomplishments include pioneering studies on the molecular biology of small RNA plant viruses that have resulted in fundamental advances on aspects of virus assembly, replication and virus-host interactions including the discovery of the first defective interfering RNA in plants. He is a charter member of the American Society of Virology and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Phytopathological Society. He was honored in 1995 as Nebraska’s Sigma Xi Scientist of the Year and in 2005 with the Ruth Allen Award from the American Phytopathological Society for outstanding career contributions to research. Dr. Morris has been actively involved in science education and outreach programs at UNL. This activity has involved him as a PI on two HHMI grants for Pre-College and Undergraduate Education (1992-98 - $2 million). He has partnered leadership in a College-wide area of strength in Math/Science education and promoted the development of a science curriculum for education majors. Currently, he is involved in a partnership with UNMC scientists on an NIH funded INBRE project focused on engaging undergraduates in biomedical and bioinformatics research. He was recently named a National Academies Education Fellow in Life Sciences for 2010-11.